Tripod



(No Mbdel.)

W. E. SCHNEIDER-L TRIPOD.

No. 464,999. Patented Dec. 15, 1891.

WJZ/JVESSES Wdliorney,

VILLIAM E. SCHNEIDER, OF \VASHINGTON, DISTRICT 3 ATENT Fries.

OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TRIPOD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 464,999, dated December 15, 1891.

Application filed January 21, 1891. Serial No. 373,596. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. SCHNEIDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at \Vashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Tripods for Cameras and other Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is to provide a readily portable, light, and strong tripod for use in connection with photographic cameras, although the tripod is applicable to other apparatus or instruments, and may be used as a walkingstick.

The invention comprises a rod having a fixed ferrule at one end and a movable head at the other end, combined with three legs articulated to the rod in a manner that will admit of their being spread out to form a tripod, and also of being brought together and confined about the rod by and between the ferrule and head, as I will proceed now more particularly to set forth and finally claim.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is an elevation of the tripod closed for transport-ation or for use as a walking-stick. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the tripod with the legs disconnected from the ferrule and head, the said ferrule and head being in section. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the tripod spread for use such. Fig. 4. is a perspective view illustrating a means employed to connect the legs to the rod when closed. Fig. 5 is a section on line m as of Fig. 2; and Fig. 6 is a section on line 'y y of Fig. 1, but on a larger scale.

The letter a designates a rod of metal, one end of which is supplied with a ferrule band the other end 0 of which is screw-threaded and supplied with a cap or head (Z, which travels upon the screw-threads. A spider c is placed upon the rod, and to it are joint-ed the three legsfg 7b. This spider preferably is provided with a sleeve i, whereby it is guided in its travel up and down the rod and binding of the spider on the rod prevented. A second spider j is connected to the lower end of the rod by a pin 7t, arranged in a slot Zin the rod, so as to permit only a limited movement of the spiderlongitudinally of the rod and to prevent it from turning. Thelegs are connected to this spider j by stre'tchers m, which are jointed to the legs and to the spider and fold about the rod when the tripod is folded. The lower ends of the legs are shaped to be inserted in the ferrule When the tripod is folded,thereby to be confined about the rod. The head d fits over the upper ends of the legs. Ilooks n are provided on the legs to engage notches or recesses 0 in the rod When the tripod is folded, as an additional means for confining the legs about the rod, these hooks catching over the lower edges of these recesses at such time; but I may employ other means between the ends of the legs to bind them to the rod when folded.

The rod aisprovided with acatchp, which when the tripod is spread, as in Fig. 3, rests upon the spider c and supports the parts in spread condition.

hen the tripod is folded, as in Fig. 1, its head is over and incloses the upper ends of the legs, and the ferrule receives the lower ends of the legs. If the head be turned up on the screw-threads of the rod, as in Fig. 2, l the legs may be raised outof the ferrule and the hooks n freed from their notches, and then by pressing down upon the spider e the legs are caused to separate at theirlower ends until the stretchers in stand out horizontally, and at this occurrence the catch 1) is free to engage the spider e, and so lock the legs in their spread position. The head (1 may be run down upon the screw-threads, so as to leave a portion of the screw-threaded end of the rod projecting above the head, as seen in Fig. 3, to receive the camera or other instrument or apparatus.

The legs may be made of wood, metaLbamo boo, or other material or substance.

I do not limitthe invention to mere structural details, excepting in so far as they are hereinafter claimed.

\Vhat I claim is l. A tripod comprising a rod, a fixed ferrule at one end, a movable head at the other end, and legs articulated to said rod and f'oldable about it and between the ferrule and head for convenience of carrying and adapted to no be spread out for use in supporting a camera or other object, substantially as described.

2. A tripod comprising a rod having a fixed ferrule at one end and havinga movable head applied to screw-threads on its other end, a freely-movable spider arranged upon the rod, legs jointed to said spider, and stretchers ap plied to the legs and jointed to another spider Which has a limited movement upon the rod, substantially as described.

3. A tripod having a rod, legs articulated to it, and hooks between the ends of said legs adapted to bind the legs to the rod when the legs are folded about the rod, substantially as described.

4. A tripod having a central rod provided Witha screw-threaded end, legs articulated I5 head to receive acamera or other object, sub- 20 stantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of January, A. D. 1891.

XVILLIAM E. SCHNEIDER.

Witnesses:

PHILIP F. LARNER, WM. H. FINOKEL. 

